Best Tool I Never Knew Existed!

[CarlD]

I have always struggled with breaking and tightening the joints of unions and ball valves, using slip-joint pliers and an oversize pipe wrench. Also the caps on chlorine carboys and getting the nozzles tight on them were always problematic.

Then I stumbled on these babies at Home Depot and couldn't believe it! They might have been MADE for pool owners--perfect for the joints and the carboys... I bought two pair AND THEY REALLY WORK! They come in larger sizes but H/D only had the 9" ones.:

http://www.channellock.com/acb/stores/1/209_-_9_inch_Oil_Filter_Plier_P140C5.cfm

BTW, the nozzles that you screw on carboys are worth their weight in gold--they make it easy to get the chlorine out--I fill up old bleach jugs with it as I need it--the blue carboys protect the LC from the sun's UV rays better than the bleach bottles.

[Poolsean]

Another good tool is a rubber strap wrench. A two pack from Sears is about $15. Does the same thing as the channel locks but with less chance of scratching or damage.

[FRANCIS]

i spotted the same pliers being displayed at the plumbing store. i got them and i've never been happier. i also have a strap wrench but it slips.
BTW - what's a "carboy"?

[CarlD]

i spotted the same pliers being displayed at the plumbing store. i got them and i've never been happier. i also have a strap wrench but it slips.
BTW - what's a "carboy"?

Yes, I really like these wrenches.

Carboys are the 5 gallon drums that liquid chlorine is sold in by the pool stores. Some are round (nuisance), some are square (much easier since they don't roll on their side). You can buy a spigot to go on them and that makes them the easiest and cheapest way to get LC--and the wrench makes mounting the spigot a snap!

[tphaggerty]

Got mine at Home Depot. These wrenches are NOT in the plumbing supply area (like strap wrenches are), they are in the tool section where the slip-lock pliers are.

I had an older set of rubber strap wrenches, but they don't grip well, especially when wet (and the rubber is getting wimpy). I only wish they had a bigger copy of this guy, I don't think it works on the largest of my unions.

OH! Looky, I just followed the channellock link above and they have 2 larger sizes! Of course, HD doesn't carry the bigger ones, I'll have to decide if it is worth getting a larger set. They are listed as oil filter wrenches, I didn't even think of using them for that! Shows what a "poolhead" I've become.

[Poolsean]

Auto store will have various oil filter wrenches. I used one in my tool kit for AutoPilot manifold unions for years.
I've since switched to the rubber strap wrenches as it's more compact, and I can always get them to grip, even when wet.

[CarlD]

I'm amazed at how much easier these Channelock wrenches work than anything else I've tried. They grip better and do far less damage than standard slip-joint wrenches. They are also the EASIEST wrench to use on the pool applications. In fact, I'll bet they work better on pools than they do on oil filters.

But if you like strap wrenches better, by all means, use them. The right tool is the one that feels right in your hand--and does the job.